The invention relates generally to welding systems and welding wire feed systems, and more particularly, to systems and methods for mounting welding wire spools of different sizes on a mounting spindle.
Many types of welding systems utilize continuously fed consumable wire from a welding gun during welding operation. This wire is provided by manufacturers on wire spools with varying widths and diameters. Common welding applications require spools with widths ranging from 1.75 to 4.25 inches. These spools are placed on a mounting spindle, which is designed to accommodate the largest spool width, for use during welding. Traditionally, a single retaining mechanism is placed on the end of the mounting spindle to prohibit the wire spool from dislodging and to ensure a tight fit.
While this system works well for the largest wire spools, alignment and excessive wear problems arise when mounting smaller wire spools. For instance, a spool with a 1.75 inch width will be secured in a position that results in wire being spooled from the wire spool to the wire drive mechanism of the welder at a misaligned angle. This can lead to excessive wear on the inlet guide of the wire drive mechanism and disruption of the weld due to inconsistent wire feeding. Therefore, there exists a need for improved mounting techniques that can offer better welding wire spool alignment for a range of wire spool sizes. Such techniques could be used in both large scale commercial and small scale private welding operations.